(a) To be eligible for a HOPE scholarship, an entering freshman student seeking an associate or baccalaureate degree at an eligible postsecondary institution shall, in addition to meeting the residency requirements set forth in subsection (a) of Code Section 20-3-519.1:

(1) Meet achievement standards by:

(A) Having graduated from an eligible high school while meeting the curriculum requirements of his or her program of study in 1993 or thereafter and meeting the requirements set out in the applicable subsection and paragraph of Code Section 20-2-157;

(B) In the case of a student who is otherwise qualified but:

(i) Did not graduate from high school or complete a home study program meeting the requirements of subsection (c) of Code Section 20-2-690, having received the general educational development (GED) diploma awarded by the Department of Technical and Adult Education, now known as the Technical College System of Georgia, after June 30, 1993, provided that such student shall only be eligible for a HOPE scholarship pursuant to subsection (c) of this Code section;

(ii) Completed a home study program meeting the requirements of subsection (c) of Code Section 20-2-690 in lieu of graduating from an eligible high school, earning a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 at an eligible postsecondary institution at the end of the quarter or semester in which the student has attempted 45 quarter hours or 30 semester hours, provided that such student shall be eligible to receive a retroactive HOPE scholarship for such student's freshman year to be paid at the end of the freshman year; or

(iii) Graduated from a high school which is not an eligible high school, earning a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 at an eligible postsecondary institution at the end of the quarter or semester in which the student has attempted 45 quarter hours or 30 semester hours, provided that such student shall be eligible to receive a retroactive HOPE scholarship for such student's freshman year to be paid at the end of the freshman year; or

(C) In the case of an otherwise qualified student who:

(i) Did not graduate from high school or complete a home study program meeting the requirements of subsection (c) of Code Section 20-2-690 but received the general educational development (GED) diploma awarded by the Department of Technical and Adult Education, now known as the Technical College System of Georgia, after June 30, 1993;

(ii) Completed a home study program meeting the requirements of subsection (c) of Code Section 20-2-690 in lieu of graduating from an eligible high school; or

(iii) Graduated from a high school which is not an eligible high school,

earning a score in the seventy-fifth percentile or higher nationally on a standardized college admission test, such as the SAT or ACT; and

(2) Meet enrollment standards by being admitted, enrolled, and classified as an undergraduate student in a matriculated status.

(b) To be eligible for a HOPE scholarship, a sophomore, junior, senior, or first professional student seeking an associate, baccalaureate, or first professional degree at an eligible postsecondary institution shall, in addition to meeting the residency requirements set forth in subsection (a) of Code Section 20-3-519.1:

(1) Meet achievement standards by meeting the following criteria:

(A) Earning a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 at a postsecondary institution:

(i) At the end of the quarter or semester in which the student has attempted 45, 90, or 135 quarter hours or 30, 60, or 90 semester hours if such student is a full-time student; or

(ii) At the end of three consecutive quarters or semesters if such student is a part-time student and has maintained part-time student status for three consecutive quarters or semesters; and

(B) Maintaining satisfactory academic progress in a course of study in accordance with the standards and practices used for federal Title IV programs by the postsecondary institution in which the student is enrolled; and

(2) Meet enrollment standards by being admitted, enrolled, and classified as an undergraduate or first professional student in a matriculated status.

Beginning in academic year 2017-2018, the cumulative grade point average calculated pursuant to this subsection shall include weighted grades for specific science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) college courses identified by the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia in consultation with the Technical College System of Georgia, the Department of Economic Development, and private eligible postsecondary institutions, by increasing the grade assigned by the instructor to the student for any such course by an additional 0.5 point if such grade is a B, C, or D. Such courses shall be academically rigorous and required for or leading to employment in high demand fields in Georgia in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Beginning with the completion of the 2017-2018 academic year, the Georgia Student Finance Commission shall provide a biennial report to the chairpersons of the House Committee on Higher Education and the Senate Higher Education Committee at the following general session of the legislature. The report shall include the fields identified as high demand fields and associated workforce shortages in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and health care; the courses identified as academically rigorous and their relevance to such fields; and any other pertinent information that the Georgia Student Finance Commission deems relevant. The Governor shall be authorized to convene a task force to identify high demand fields and associated workforce shortages and may recommend to the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia initial science, technology, engineering, and mathematics college courses to receive additional weight.

(c) (1) (A) A full-time student who fails to maintain a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 at the end of the quarter or semester in which the student has attempted 45, 90, or 135 quarter hours or 30, 60, or 90 semester hours may attend the next 45 quarter or 30 semester hours without a HOPE scholarship.

(B) An otherwise eligible student who attains or regains a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 at the end of a quarter or semester in which the student has attempted 45, 90, or 135 quarter hours or 30, 60, or 90 semester hours may qualify or requalify for a HOPE scholarship; provided, however, that a student who receives a HOPE scholarship and loses eligibility pursuant to this subsection is only eligible to regain or requalify for the HOPE scholarship one time.

(2) In addition to other requirements, and regardless of quarter hours or semester hours of coursework attempted, a student who fails to possess a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 at the end of each spring quarter or semester or at the end of three consecutive quarters or semesters for a part-time student pursuant to paragraph (1) of subsection (b) of this Code section shall be ineligible for a HOPE scholarship until such time as the student regains or attains a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 at one of the 45, 90, or 135 quarter hour grade point average checkpoints or at one of the 30, 60, or 90 semester hour grade point average checkpoints, at which time the student will regain or attain eligibility if other terms and conditions in this Code section are also satisfied; provided, however, that a student who receives a HOPE scholarship and loses eligibility pursuant to this subsection is only eligible to regain or requalify for the HOPE scholarship one time.

(d) A student may receive the HOPE scholarship until the first of these events:

(1) The student has earned a baccalaureate or first professional degree;

(2) The student has attempted at any postsecondary institution a total of 190 quarter hours or 127 semester hours; or

(3) Beginning with those students receiving a HOPE scholarship for the first time on or after July 1, 2011, seven years from a student's graduation from high school or the equivalent thereof as determined by the Georgia Student Finance Commission in its rules and regulations; provided, however, that for a student who serves in the military during such seven-year period, any such military service served as active duty shall not count against the seven-year period. A student that is ineligible to receive a HOPE scholarship pursuant to this paragraph but who received the HOPE scholarship during the 2010-2011 academic year shall continue to be eligible for the HOPE scholarship until June 30, 2015, as long as such student meets all other eligibility requirements, including, but not limited to, paragraphs (1) and (2) of this subsection.

(e) Subject to the amounts appropriated by the General Assembly and provisions relating to the Lottery for Education Account in Code Section 50-27-13, a HOPE scholarship awarded under this Code section shall be equal to the HOPE award amount.

(f) For each semester of eligibility, Zell Miller Scholarship Scholars shall be awarded an amount in addition to the HOPE award amount as follows:

(1) If attending an eligible public institution, an amount equal to the difference between the HOPE award amount and the then current academic year standard undergraduate tuition amount at the institution to be paid; and

(2) If attending an eligible private institution, an amount equal to the difference between the HOPE award amount and the HOPE tuition payment.